


The Sorcerer of the Opera

by schweet_heart



Series: Pornalot Entries 2016 [6]
Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Music, Alternate Universe - Phantom of the Opera Fusion, Bonus Challenge #3: Music, Community: pornalot, Crack, Humour, M/M, Pornalot, remix eligible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 17:47:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7901986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/pseuds/schweet_heart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is an operatic sensation; Merlin is his Phantom. Among other things.</p><p>Written for Pornalot 2016 Bonus Challenge #3: Music.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sorcerer of the Opera

Arthur could still hear the applause ringing in his ears long after the final curtain call. His debut had been a resounding success; there hadn’t been a dry eye in the house when he’d sung his mournful death scene, and everyone had cheered when he'd been resurrected — temporarily — for the grand finale. He’d even received a standing ovation, which was a rarity in this cynical age, and after he'd finished singing the encore, adoring fans had littered the stage with long-stemmed red roses. Not bad, considering he’d been working as Cenred’s understudy just three weeks before.  
  
As soon as the dressing-room door had closed on the roars of the crowd, there was a rapping on one of the walls. “Are you alone?” A familiar voice asked. “Can I come out now?”  
  
Arthur heaved a put-upon sigh. “I suppose so,” he said. The secret door behind the mirror swung open, and Merlin — aka Arthur’s secret singing coach — stepped out from the hidden passageway beyond. As always, he was impeccably dressed in a finely tailored tuxedo, a white mask covering one side of his face.  
  
“Why do you even wear that thing?” Arthur asked, shaking his head at the lanky figure. “I know it’s not because you’re trying to hide a disfigurement — if you wanted to do that, you’d have covered your ears.”  
  
“It makes me look more impressive,” Merlin said, scowling. “I mean, I’m a ghost, aren’t I? I’m supposed to be scary.”  
  
“The mask doesn’t make you look scary,” Arthur said. “It just makes you look demented. Speaking of which, you didn’t have to drop that chandelier on Helen just because she was being a bitch in rehearsals, you know. We’ve talked about this.”  
  
“Helen was an evil temptress,” Merlin said, a distinct hint of a pout in his voice. “She said you had a terrible voice! I’m also fairly sure she was plotting to marry you and then kill you off so that she could inherit your fortune.”  
  
“Merlin.”  
  
“Well, it’s true! I heard Morgana say so.” Merlin folded his arms. “I notice you still haven’t thanked me for that, by the way. All the things I do for you, and still you take my devotion for granted.”  
  
“It’s not so much devotion as excessive stalking,” Arthur pointed out, but apparently this distinction was lost on Merlin, because he just looked blank. Arthur sighed. “Fine. Thank you. Are you happy now?”  
  
Merlin shrugged. “More or less.”  
  
He stepped across the space between them and undid Arthur’s tie, then started unbuttoning his shirt. Arthur let him, watching as the slim fingers worked deftly to remove his outfit piece by piece. “You haven’t told me what you thought of my performance,” he said, after a moment of silence.  
  
“Mm,” Merlin said. He had reached Arthur’s belt buckle now, and was frowning in concentration. Apparently, buckles were difficult to work backwards, even for ghosts.  
  
"My stunning  _debut_  performance," Arthur stressed, in case Merlin had forgotten. “The audience was very appreciative.”  
  
“I heard. Aha!” Merlin finally untangled the buckle, and slid the leather belt out of the belt-loops with a triumphant exclamation. Arthur glared. The belt dropped on top of his shirt and jacket.  
  
“They gave me a  _standing ovation, Mer_ lin. Women were fainting at my feet!”  
  
“Probably wearing their corsets too tight,” Merlin said dismissively. He slid a cool hand along the edge of Arthur’s waistband, now unsupported, and although Arthur tried to hold onto his anger, he found it difficult to remain mad at Merlin generally and even more so when he was busy unbuttoning his trousers. “You know what women’s fashion is like.”  
  
“No,” Arthur said, fighting manfully not to let his knees give way under him as Merlin's hand dipped even lower and started making its way into his underclothes. “I don’t, actually. Why, is there something you want to tell me, Merlin?”  
  
“Nothing you don’t already know.” Merlin finally found what he had been looking for, and his hand closed gently around Arthur’s sex, one thumb running along the semi-hard length and making Arthur shudder in spite of himself. He let out a strangled whimper, and Merlin grinned up at him, letting go briefly in order to shove him down onto an antique ottoman and straddle his lap with enthusiasm.   
  
“Now then, love,” he purred, leaning in to nuzzle a supernaturally cold nose into Arthur’s neck. “Let me hear you sing.”


End file.
